PERSIA. 



315 



the practice of ordering carpets for the ftneigu market that for several 

 years the average size of Persian carpets exported to Europe has been 

 larger than the sizes preferred by Persians. This firm has not only 

 paid 2 or 3 krans more than the usual price a square yard, but it has 

 established the practice of making advances to the workmen. This 

 has enabled the latter to erect special rooms of large size, where car- 

 pets can be made especially suited for European buyers. The volume 

 of the trade is doubtless increased by the course adopted by this house, 

 while it may be questioned whether the special qualities of design in- 

 stinctively followed by the exquisite aesthetic perceptions of the Per- 

 sians may not lose a certain spontaneity and beauty which constitutes 

 the most prominent features of all Persian work of originality and 

 merit. Most of the carpets made for this house are made in the prov- 

 ince of Irak, and especially in the city of SultanabadJ but the carpets 

 of Persia are woven in almost every province of the empire. At the 

 same time there has gradually grown up a system or classification in 

 the making of these fabrics which is quite remarkable, when one con- 

 siders that they are manufactured without concerted action or the aid 

 of capita], excepting, of course, the above-mentioned practice of ad- 

 vances. 



The carpet industry of Persia is divisible into three leading classes, 

 the large-sized and the small carpets or rugs and the ghilems, to which 

 may be added a fourth, consisting of theumads or felt carpets. Most 

 of the carpets intended for covering floors, of whatever size, are pro- 

 duced in the central province of Irak, and chiefly at the city of Sultan- 

 a bad, and in the districts of Sarraveud and Garrouste and Malahir. 

 These carpets go by the generic term pharaghan. They are more solid 

 and massive than other Persian carpets, capable for long use and fitted 

 for apartments of size. For ten years past these pharaghan fabrics 

 have been exported in large and increasing quantities. Large Persian 

 carpets which deviate from the usual oblong shape are made to order 

 and cost 3 to 4 kraus a square yard above the average expense. This 

 is partly owing to the increased difficulties of weaving such dimensions 

 with the simple appliances in use and the size of the rooms in the 

 houses of the peasantry. 



Besides the pharaghan carpets, floors are also carpeted sometimes 

 with fabrics from Kerwaushab, Hawadan, and the district of Lauristan. 

 Also for this purpose the carpets of Mech-Kabad, in Khorassen, are 

 available, although of inferior texture to the pharaghan. The carpets 

 of Kerwan have also the texture fitted to the rough usage required in 

 covering floors; but while perhaps of superior quality to the pharaghan, 

 r.hey arc always small and proportionately more expensive. 



The Persian carpet par excellence is the rug. The Persians use these 



in preference to large sizes. First covering the earth floor with a has- 



seer or matting of split reeds, they layover it numerous rigs, which 



completely conceal the mat. This arrangement, when composed of 



17A 1 



